Back in Black

The racist group known as the Sons of the Shield have orchestrated the apparent death of Captain America. They have done this in order to stoke racial tensions in Harlem to prove their own racist ideals.[1]

Seeking to redeem Captain America’s good name and restore peace to Harlem, Sam Wilson — aka the Falcon — has taken to dressing like Captain America and fighting crime in the neighborhood. Naturally, the media is abuzz about this new Black Captain America. The Sons of the Shield, naturally dislike this news especially since they are being singled out by the new Cap.

Eventually, he tracks down Ajanii Jackson, the Black man who has betrayed his own people to work for the Sons of the Shield. Knowing he had something to do with stoking tensions, Sam confronts him on a rooftop. Ajanii sees through the new outfit and knows that he’s really dealing with the Falcon, but refuses to talk. Sam then summons Redwing and the bird knocks him over the edge of the rooftop. Sam then leaps down and grabs Ajanii before he can hit the ground and dangles him over a fire escape. As he cries out for help, Ajanii draws the attention of one of the Sons of the Shield’s street patrols. Sam leaps down and starts fighting them and he is soon joined by some locals.

However, they Harlem residents also want to fight Sam, but he tells them to stop. He explains that Ajanii sold them all out by working for the Sons of the Shield. He promises they he’ll do whatever it takes to run these white supremacists out of town. This puts the crowd on his side and as he is being cheered Sam spots Jackson trying to make a run for it. Ordering Redwing to follow him from the sky, Sam is able to follow Jackson back to the Sons of the Shield’s new hideout.

Their leader, John Mason, is furious that Jackson has failed him and decides to test out his new weapon on him. Mason and his cohorts have developed a bio-weapon that they believe will specifically target those of African-American descent. Placing Ajanii in a gas chamber, Mason unleashes the deadly gas, killing him.

That’s when Sam arrives on the scene but he is too late to save Jackson from his fate. Mason has another surprise for Wilson by ordering Captain America to attack him. This is the real Captain America who has some kind of mind control device on his cowl. As the two fight, Sam tries to get Steve to snap out of it. Mason explains that the weapon that seemingly incinerated the real Captain America actually teleported him to their hideout where they made Cap their slave.

Eventually, Redwing is able to swoop in and remove the mind control device, allowing Steve to snap out of the Sons of the Shield’s mental control. With his plan falling apart, Mason decides to flood the room with the deadly gas and kill Sam Wilson. However, he quickly discovers that the gas is deadly to everyone since there isn’t anything genetically different between white and black people. Rather than leaving everyone to die, Sam fights off Mason and gets to the shut off control before the room can completely fill with gas. That’s when the locals come crashing in, allowing Steve to carry Sam out to safety.

Wilson is rushed to the hospital where doctors are able to combat the virus he was infected with. When Steve visits him in the hospital, Sam is on the mend. Mason and his people survived as well, but their organization is ruined. Cap thanks Sam for everything he did to save him. Sam says it was more than that, he was also preserving what Captain America is all about. Even though he thinks its hokey sometimes, what Steve’s uniform stands for is important and needs to be preserved at all costs. With that, Sam gets out of his bed, he isn’t going to lay around when there is still work to be done. That evening he’s back out on patrol as the Falcon, right where he belongs.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Falcon, Sons of the Shield (John Mason, Ajanii Jackson), Redwing

Continuity Notes

1. This story takes place during the period in which Captain America and the Falcon were first partners from Captain America #133-222. Per the Marvel Chronology Project this story takes place after Cap’s appearances in Avengers #100 and between Captain America #143 and 144 for the Falcon. Cap was seemingly incinerated last issue.